Vacuum fuel-feeding system.



H. C. SUCKERT-I VACUUM FUEL FEEDING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. H. 1915.

Patented Dec. 711915.

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HAOLD C. SUCKERT, 0F NEWYORK, N. Y.

VACUUM FUEL-FEEDING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented pee. a, 4945..

Application filed March 11, 1915. Serial No. 18,781.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HAROLD C. SUCKERT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum Fuel-Feeding Systems for Gasolene-Engines, of which the following is a specification.

In the installation of gasolene engines it has heretofore been the almost universal practice to place the gasolene or fuel tank above the carbureter in order to secure a gravity feed of the fuel from the tank to the carbureter. In the few instances in which the fuel tank has been placed below the carbureter some form of pump has been used to maintain an air pressure in the gasolene tank in order to force the gasolene up to the carburetor. In other cases a vacuum pump has been used to draw the gasolene from the fuel tank to a point higher than the carbureter and to then feed the gasolene'by gravity to the carbureter.

This invention relates to this lattertype of fuel feeding means.

It is the main object of this invention to simplify the vacuum apparatus by means of which the gaso-lene is drawn from the tank and delivered into the small gravity tank from which it is fed to the carbureter.

Another object of the invention is to dispense with all float-operated devices and to provide an apparatus which will be very simple in construction and positive and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an outline View of my improved fuel feeding system applied to a gasolene, engine; Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view of the vacuum pump and gravity feeding tank, showing the parts in the position which they occupy When gasolene is being drawn from the storage tank into the pumping chamber; and Fig. 3 a similar view showing the parts in the position which they occupy when the gasolene is being delivered from the pumping chamber into the gravity feed tank, the pumping chamber being cut off from communication with the suction apparatus.

Referring to the various parts by numerals, l designates the engine,-2 the manifold through which the gas from the carbureter is connected to the engine intake; 3 the carbureter and 4 the feed tank 5 is located in any convenient position above the carbureter, preferably under the hood of the engine, as indicated in Fig. 1. The lower end of th is connected by a pipe and through this pipe fuel is fed by gravity. The fuel tank 4 is connected to the pumping apparatus through a pipe 7 and said apparatus is connected to the manifold of the engine through a pipe Xtending vertically and centrally through the gravity feed tank 5 is a rigid spindle 9. Mounted on this spindle near the upper end thereof is the pumping chamber 10, said chamber being formed with a sleeve 11 at its upper end, said sleeve fitting snugly and sliding on the upper part of the spindle. The lower end of the pumping chamber is provided with a collar 12 which slides on the lower portion of the spindle, the upper end of said collar with a shoulder 13 upward movement The upper portion on the spindle to limit the of the pumping chamber. of the spindle is formed with two vertical passages 14 and 15, the passage 14 being connected to the suction pipe 8 which leads to the manifold of the engine, and the passage 15 being connected with the supply pipe 7 which leads to the fuel tank. The lower ends of these passages 14 and 15 are in communication with the interior of the pumping chamber 10 through ports 16 and 17 respectively. hen the pumping chamber 10 is in its upper position the lower end of the sleeve 11 is above said ports 16 and 17 so that said ports are uncovered, as shown in Fig. 2. The spindle 9 is formed with a valve seat 18below the ports 16 and 17, and the lower end of the .sleeve 11 is shaped to fit said seat when the pumping chamber is in its lower position,

.as shown in Fig. 3. In this position of the pumping chamber the ports 16 and 17 are closed.

Below the shoulder 13 the spindle 9 is fuel tank. The gravity being adapted to contact provided with'the vertical passage 19; the

upper transverse ports 20 and the lower transverse ports 21. When the pumping chamber is in its upper position as shown in Fig. 2, ports '20 are closed by the collar 12; and whengthe pumping chamber is in its lower position said ports are in open com munication with the interior of the pumping chamber so that the interior of the gravity feed tank 5 is in communication with the interior of the pumping chamber through ports 21, passage 19 and ports 20, as shown in Fig. 3. The spindle 9 at its lower end is provided with the vertical passage 22, the inlet ports 23 placing the interior of the gravity feed tank in communication with the passage 22, andthis latter passage is in communication with the feed pipe 6 which leads to the carburcter.

The collar 12 is horizontally bored to receive springs 24, and said springs yieldingly hold ball catches 25 in recesses 26 formed in the spindle 9. Surrounding the spindle 9 between the collar 12 and the bottom of the gravity feed tank is a spring 27, said spring normally supporting the pumping chamber 10 in'its upper position. There are two sets of recesses 26 one above the other and the ball catches 25 engage the upper set when the pumping chamber is in its upper position, and engage the lower set when the pumping chamber is in its lower position, as shown respectively in Figs. 2 and 3 ofthe drawing. The spring 27 is of such tension that it will lift the chamber 10 to its upper position when said chamber is empty or substantially so.

The operation of the apparatus may be briefly described as follows: When the engine is in operation there will be suflicient suction through pipe 8 to exhaust air from the pumping chamber 10. T his will result in a suction through pipe 7 sufficient to lift the gasolene from the fuel tank 4 into the pumping chamber through passage 15 and port 17. This operation will continue, while the engine is running, until sufiicient gasolene has been accumulated in the chamber 10 to overcome the friction of the ball catches 25 and the tension of the spring 27. The pumping chamber will then move downwardly, closing ports 16 and 17 and uncovering, ports 20. When the ball catches reach the lower notches 2.6 the tension of the spring 27 will be suflicient to hold the chamber 10 in that position when the ball catches have snapped into the said lower notches. The fuel will then flow from chamber 10 through ports 20, passage19 and ports 21 into the gravity feeding tank. When the chamber 10 is empty, or substantially so, the spring 27 will overcome the friction of the ball catches 25 and move the chamber 10 back to its upper position, thereby uncovering ports 16 and 17 and closing ports 20. The gasolene from the feed tank 5 will flow through ports 23, passage 22 and pipe 6 to the carbureter. Passage 15 is in communication with the interior of the feed tank through a relief port 28, and said tank is in communication with the atmosphere through a relief port 29. In the passage 14;

is .arranged an inwardly seating valve 30,

the purpose of which is to maintain in a pumping chamber any vacuum produced therein, while at the same time permitting air from said chamber to be readily exhausted through pipe 8. The port 28 permits air to flow into pipe 7 so that gasolene therein may flow back to the fuel tank; and port 29 prevents the accumulation of any pressure or the building up of a vacuum'in the feed tank.

From the foregoing it is manifest that I provide a very simple suction-operated apparatus by which the gasolene or other liquid fuel may be lifted from the fuel tank into the gravity feed chamber 5 from which it may be conducted to the carbureter. The chamber 10 serves in the nature of a pumping chamber and also serves as a means for limiting the amount of gasolene which may be accumulated in the tank 5. It is manifest that if the supply of gasolene in the tank 5 prevents the emptying of the chamber 10 the said chamber 10 will remain in its lower position, thereby cutting off the exhausting apparatus from the interior of said chamber. This, of course, prevents the further accumulation of gasolene until the supply in the tank 5 has been sufficiently, reduced. When gasolene accumulates in tank 5 sufiiciently to seal the ports 21 no further air can pass upwardly through said ports into the chamber 10. These ports are therefore sealed and will remain so until gasolene is used from tank 5 sufficiently to unseal said ports. As soon as said ports are unsealed there will be a further flow of gasolene from the chamber 10 sufficient to seal them. This operation will continue until the supply of gasolene in chamber 10 is exhausted, or substantially so, when said chamber will be returned to its upper normal position.

It will, of course, be understood that the construction of the apparatus may be modified to a considerable extent without departing from the scope of the invention and I desire it understood that I am not to be limited in the matter of details of construction and specific arrangements of parts.

What I claim is:

1. A fuel feeding apparatus comprising a fuel tank, a carbureter, a gasolene engine and a manifold connected with the intake ports of the engine, of a feed tank above the carbureter, a vertically movable pumping chamber in said feed tank, means connecting the interior of said pumping chamber withthe manifold, means connecting the interior of said. chamber with the fuel tank, means connecting the lower end of the feed tank with the carbureter, and means whereby a predetermined amount of gasolene in the pumping chamber will move said chamber to close communication with the fuel tank and the manifold and will open communication between said pumping chamber and the interior of the feed tank.

2. A fuel feeding apparatus comprisingpa llb haust outlet and will open feed tank, a vertically movable pumping chamber therein, a fuel inlet into the interior of said pumping chamber, an exhaust outlet from the interior of said pumping chamber, means whereby the accumulation of gasolene in the pumping chamber will move said chamber to close the fuel inlet and the exhaust outlet and will open communication between the interior of the pumping chamber and the feed tank, the feed tank being provided with an outlet port at its lower end.

3. A fuel feeding apparatus comprising a feed tank, a vertically movable pumping chamber therein, a fuel inlet into the interior of said pumping chamber, an exhaust outlet from the interior of said pumping chamber, means for normally holding the pumping chamber in communication with the fuel inlet and the exhaust outlet, and means whereby the accumulation of gasolene in the pumping chamber will move said chamber to close the fuel inlet and the excommunication between the interior of the pumping chamber and the feed tank, the feed tank being provided with an outlet port at its lower end.

4. A fuel feeding apparatus comprising a feed tank, a vertically movable pumping chamber therein, a fuel inlet into the interior of said pumping chamber, an exhaust outlet from the interior of said pumping chamber, means for normally holding the pumping chamber in communication with the fuel inlet and the exhaust outlet, and means whereby the accumulation of gasolene in the pumping chamber will move said chamber to close the exhaust outlet and will open communication between the interior of the pumping chamber and'the feed tank, the feed tank being provided with an outlet port at its lower end.

A fuel feeding apparatus comprising a feed tank, a vertically movable pumping chamber therein, a fuel inlet into the interior of said pumping chamber, an exhaust outlet from the interior of said pumping chamber, means for normally holding the pumping chamber in communication with the fuel inlet and the exhaust outlet, means whereby the accumulation of gasolene in the pumping chamber will move said chamber to close the exhaust outlet and will open communication between the interior of the pumping chamber, and the feed tank, the feed tank being provided with an outlet port at its lower end, and means for moving the pumping chamber to restore communication between the interior of said chamber and the exhaust outlet and to close communication between the pumping chamber and the feed tank when fluid has been discharged from the pumping chamber into the feed tank.

6. A fuel feeding apparatus comprising a feed tank, a vertically movable pumpmg chamber therein, a fuel inlet into the interior of said pumping chamber, an exhaust outlet from the interior of said pumpin chamber, means for normally holding the pumping chamber in communication with the fuel inlet and the exhaust outlet, means whereby the accumulation of gasolene in the pumping chamber will move said chamber to close the fuel inlet and the exhaust out let and will open communication between the interior of the pumping chamber and the feed tank, the feed tank being provided with.an outlet port at its lower end, and means for moving the pumping chamber to restore communication between the interior of said chamber and the exhaust outlet and fuel inlet and to close communication between the pumping chamber and the feed tank when fluid has been discharged from the pumping chamber into the feed tank.

7. The combination of a feed tank, a reciprocable valve mechanism therein, suctionoperated means for accumulating fluid in said valve apparatus, means whereby a predetermined accumulation of fluid will move said fluid and said valve apparatus downwardly and cut ofl communication with the suction-operated means .and open communication between said valve apparatus and the feed tank to permit the discharge of the accumulated fluid into the feed tank, and means for moving the valve apparatus upwardly to its normal position.

8. The combination of a feed tank, a reciprocable valve mechanism, suction-operated means for accumulating fluid in said valve apparatus, means whereby a predetermined accumulation of fluid will move said fluid and said valve apparatus downwardly and cut ofl' communication with the suctionoperated means and open communication between said valve apparatus and the feed tank to permit the discharge of the accumulated fluid into the feed tank, and means for moving the valve apparatus upwardly to its normal position.

9. The combination of a feed tank, a vertically movable pumping chamber therein, a fluid inlet connected to the interior of the pumping chamber, from the interior of said chamber, yieldable means for holding the pumping chamber in communication with the fluid inlet and the exhaust outlet, means whereby the weight of the accumulated fluid in the pumping chamber will depress said chamber and close communication between said chamber and the exhaust outlet and open communication between said chamber and the feed tank, and means for raising the pumping chamber after the discharge of fluid to restore communication between said chamber and the fluid inlet and the exhaust outlet.

an exhaust outlet leading a 10. The combination of a feed tank, a vertically movable pumping chamber therein, a longitudinally extending spindle in the feed tank and supporting the pumping chamber, said spindle being formed with two ports leading into the interior of the- V pumping'chamber is in its lower position,

and yieldable means for holding the pumpingchamber in its upper position.

111. The combination of a feed tank, a vertical central spindle therein, a reciprocable pumping chamber mounted on said spindle, a spring normally holding said pumping chamber in its upper position,

yieldable means carried by the pumping chamber to engage the spindle to assist in holding said pumpingchamber in its upper position, a pair of ports leading into the pumping chamber near its upper end when the chamber is in its upper position, ports formed in the spindle and connecting the lower end of the pumping chamber with the feed tank when the pumping chamber is in its lower position, a valve closing communication between the upper end of the pumping chamber and the ports in the spindle when the pumping chamber is in its lower position, and means for restoring the pumping chamber to its upper position when the fluid therein has been discharged into the feed tank.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

. HAROLD C. SUCKERT. Witnesses:

F. R. MILLER, MINERVA VAN ALEN. 

